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THE PRESIDENT of the GaDangme Council of Wulomei (Chief Priest), Numo Blafo III has debunked the assertion made by some principal elders of the Nungua Traditional Council that Gborbu Wulomo is the ‘Overlord of the GaDangme State.’

Numo Blafo said among the Wulomei, there is no such title as ‘Overlord of GaDangme’ adding that GaDangme is made up of different paramountcies and therefore one group could not be superior to the other.

Speaking at a press conference held in Accra on Saturday, July 21, 2018, he said “we have been inundated with the question as to whether there exists a position like ‘Overlord of GaDangme’ and if it is so, why is it not the Ga Mantse?

“We are gathered here this morning to lay bare the facts as they are, and disabuse the minds of the numerous people who have raised concerns with this issue and also to stop the re-writing of GaDangme history,” he said.

The GaDangme Council of Wulomei is a non-political association comprising progressive minded Wulomei or Chief Priests from, as the saying goes, Langma to Ada Shwira.

Numo Blafo said Gas are known generally to consist of two main indigenous groups, Ga and Dangme so one will normally hear or see written ‘GaDangme.’ Some were divided by the colonial government for ease of governance, for example, Ga Mashie is a cluster of several groups with one, Ngleshie Alata, which has been elevated to paramount status.

Numo Borketey Larweh Tsuru XXXIII, Gborbu Wulomo

According to him, M.J. Field’s ‘Religious and Medicine of the Ga People’ (1937) states that “Gborbu Wulomo is the Chief Wulomo of Nungua and was once the ruler, as is the practice among the GaDangme , and the Mantse, thus, the Nungua Mantse is Oshwe Wulomo. At no point was the Gborbu referred to as overlord or ruler of Accra or GaDangme.”

He added that C.C. Reindof in his book ‘The History of the Gold Coast and Asante’ (1966) states that “GaDangme stretches from Crook’s Loaf Mountain of Langma after Kokrobite to the Volta and Nungua is one of the Ga single groups located within this stretch.”

Furthermore, Henderson-Quartey in his book, ‘The Ga of Ghana; History and Culture of a West African People’ (2000) mentioned Nungua but it was about an event between Borkete Larweh of Nungua and Sowa of La. There was no mention of Borkete Larweh as ruler or overlord of the Akra or the GaDangme people.

“So where is the overlord title now being claimed by the elder in a press conference held on May 20, 2018? It is something that is baffling and unimaginable.

Numo Blafo III

“We deem it unfortunate that at a point where we are trying to salvage the sinking glory of the GaDangme, some people will attempt to subvert historical facts which they know well are not true,” he stated.

“Fascinating as it is, until recently, Nungua and other traditional areas which are now paramountcies were all divisions under the Ga Traditional Council with the Ga Mantse as automatic president. So are the elders trying to tell as that the Gborbu Wulomo became overlord of GaDangme just because Nungua became a paramountcy a few years ago?.

“We the Wulomei Council has no problem with any Wulomo attempting to make himself relevant because it is one of the goals of the council to promote and ensure their existence.”

“We advice that the elders withdraw that statement and restrain themselves from such assertions,” Numo Blafo stated.